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SF 395 
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PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 



W. J. KENNEDY 




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Class _iZjf^ 
Rook / i j^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOStC 



PROFITABLE 
PORK PRODUCTION 

A BOOK FOR 

FARMERS AND SWINE GROWERS 



By W."J: KENNEDY 

Director of Agricultural Extension Department, 
Iowa State College 

Formerly Professor of Animal Husbandry Iowa State College and 
Vice Director of Iowa Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 



Coprighted 1912 

Profitable Breeding and Farming Company 

All Rights Reserved 



Published By 

Profitable Breeding and Farming Company 

Nevada, Iowa 




W. J. KENNEDY 



©CU320643 



PREFACE 

This little book is published to meet the demands 
of the busy man on the farm. In the preparation of 
this work, special attention has been given to pres- 
ent day problems as they affect the corn belt farmer. 
It is presented in simple, plain language. The sole 
object of this book is to help the farmer and hog 
raiser in the growing and fattening of swine for mar- 
ket purposes. The statements herein contained are 
the results of practical tests in which over two 
thousand head of pigs were grown and fattened for 
the market. No theories or speculations are offered. 
My earnest hope and desire is that each man who 
reads this work will find some useful suggestions 
which he can apply profitably in his swine growing 
operations. 

W. J. KENNEDY. 



Table of Contents 



CHAPTER I 

The Profitable Type of Hog 

PAGE 

Constitution 6 

Body Capacity 7 

Feet and Legs 7 

Head :... 7 

Straightness of Body Lines 9 

Shoulders _ 9 

Quality 9 

CHAPTER II 

Preparation of Corn and Other Feeding Stuffs 

Corn 10 

(a) Dry ear corn (d) Soaked corn meal 

(b) Soaked shelled com (e) Dry corn and cob meal 

(c) Dry corn meal (f ) Soaked corn and cob meal 

Barley 13 

Shorts 13 

Wheat 13 

Tankage or Meat Meal 14 

Rye 14 

Oats 14 

Oil Meal 14 

Cottonseed Meal 14 

Gluten Feed 14 

Potatoes : „ 14 

Pumpkins 15 

Skim Milk 15 

Alfalfa and Clover Hay 15 

CHAPTER III 

Feed, Care and Management of Brood Sow 

General Introduction 16 

Early or Late Litters 18 

Feeding Sows Previous to and During Breeding Season 20 

Feeding During Pregnancy Period 22 

Rations for Brood Sows 23 

Influence of Rations on Size of Pigs at Birth 24 

Influence of Rations on Condition of Pigs at Birth 26 

Feeding at Farrowing Time 26 

Feeding During Suckling Period 28 



CHAPTER IV 
Forage Crops and Summer Feeding of Swine 

Points to be Observed in Selecting Forage Crops 29 

Alfalfa 31 

Rape 33 

Clover — Medium Red 36 

Oats, Medium Red Clover and Rape 37 

Oats, Canadian Field Peas and Rape 38 

Sweet Clover _ 39 

Blue Grass and Timothy '. _... 41 

Rye 42 

CHAPTER V 
Hogging Down Corn 

General Introduction 43 

Kind of Corn and Supplements to Use 44 

(a) Rape (b) Soy Beans (c) Rye 

Size of Hogs to Use 46 

Time to Turn Hogs in Corn Field 47 

Watering the Hogs 48 

Size of Field to Use 48 

Number of Pigs per acre 49 

CHAPTER VI 
Fattening Hogs in Dry Lot 

Advantages of Dry Lot Feeding 50 

Rations for Pigs From 50 to 75 Pounds 53 

Rations for Hogs From 100 to 150 Pounds 13 

Rations for Hogs 175 Pounds and Upwards 54 

Fattening Hogs Behind Cattle 55 

CHAPTER VII 
Treatment of Worms, Lice and Prevention of Diseases 

Parasites 56 

Lice : 57 

Mange 57 

Worms 58 

The Round Worm 58 

Thorn Headed Worm 59 

Treatment for Hogs Infected With Worms 59 

Treatment to Use as Prevention of Worms 60 

Canker or Sore Mouth 60 

Thumps : 61 

Sun Scald 61 

Coughs - 61 

Black Teeth 61 

Sore Tails Q2 

Paralysis 62 

Tuberculosis 62 

Hog Cholera 63 

Drenching Hogs 64 

Importance of Sanitary Conditions 64 



S PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

CHAPTER I 

The Profitable Type of Hog 

The first and most important point in pork pro- 
duction is to have the right type of hog. This hog 
must meet the demands of the consumer. He must 
also produce large and economical gains so as to in- 
sure a profit for the producer. In other words, he 
must be a utility animal. The question of individu- 
ality is of much more importance than breed. We 
have good hogs and also undesirable hogs in each 
and every one of our recognized breeds. Each indi- 
vidual hog raiser must settle the question of breed 
for himself. The ideal farmer's hog is the animal 
which never lies to the assessor. He is farrowed 
after the assessor arrives this year and is marketed 
at a weight of three hundred pounds or better before 
he comes back next year. Such hogs are not all 
confined to any one breed nor are they all red or 
black or white in color. This is the kind of a hog 
which can convert feed into dollars and cents at a 
profit to his feeder. 

POINTS TO LOOK FOR IN SELECTING HOGS 

Constitution. In all classes of live stock we. can 
never pay too much attention to the question of con- 
stitution. This is especially true of swine. The 
daily gains and health of the hog are largely deter- 
mined by the question of constitution. The more 
vigorous the hog, the more he will eat and the 
more he eats the heavier and the more economi- 
cal the daily gains. Thus vigor insures the 
two most important points to be observed in 
pork production, namely: rapidity of gains and 
economy of gains. Now what are some of the indica- 
tions of constitution? (1) A large heart girth, as 



THE PROFITABLE TYPE OF HOG 7 

indicated by depth of body behind the shoulders and 
width of floor of chest. (2) A broad head with good 
month and nostrils. Avoid a hog with a narrow 
tucked in chest or a pinched muzzle with small nos- 
trils, as both of these defects are very serious. 

Body Capacity. The hog is simply a machine to 
convert food into meat. The greater his body capac- 
ity the greater his ability to make rapid and econ- 
omical gains from the food furnished. Body capac- 
ity is obtained in three ways and all of these are to 
be found in real useful hogs, namely : length of body, 
width of body and depth of body. The two most 
serious defects in this connection are lack of length 
and lack of depth. Insist on having all these and 
especially the last two. 

Feet and Legs. A large heavy bodied hog re- 
quires good strong feet and legs to take him to mar- 
ket. If he breaks down on the way he is sold as a 
cripple at a very much reduced price. The legs 
should be straight, strong and well supported below 
both the hocks and knees. The bone should be fairly 
large and of good quality. Avoid a meaty boned hog 
as it indicates coarseness and lack of strength. The 
ideal bone, below the knee and hock of the hog, is 
clean cut and gradually tapers to the pastern joint. 
The pasterns should be short and strong. The toes 
should be short and kept well together. Spreading 
toes are very undesirable. Avoid a hog with crooked 
hind legs or knock kneed in front as both are very 
objectionable. 

Head. The head of the young pig is a fairly good 
index of his future development. If the head is 
broad, strong in the muzzle, with large nostrils and 
a large mouth, the pig should develop into a large 
well proportioned hog. Avoid a pig with a narrow 
head, small muzzle and small mouth as it is seldom 
that such an animal ever amounts to much. These 



PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 




A USEFUL TYPE OF BOAR 




THE TYPE OF HOG 
WHICH CONVERTS CORN INTO DOLLARS AND CENTS 



THE PROFITABLE TYPE OF HOG 9 

are the points which indicate utility or the lack of 
utility, thus should be observed. 

Straightness of Body Lines. In all young ani- 
mals it is advisable to insist on straight top, or 
slightly arched and straight bottom lines. These in- 
dicate strength and vi gor, also go to make up a 
well proportioned hog. We always look for an arch 
back in the pig, but with age the animal may show 
some deviation in this respect. A straight underline 
is always desirable. The width of back should be 
carried well down on the sides. Avoid a V-shaped 
body conformation. 

Shoulders. The shoulders should be wide but 
sniooth on top and on the sides. Every market dis- 
criminates against a coarse, rough shouldered hog as 
lacking in finish and quality. 

Quality. While size should not be lost sight of 
for quality, still we must have quality. It is some- 
thing which is demanded by all packing house men. 
They object very seriously to coarse, rough should- 
ers and wrinkles or creases on the sides, back or loin. 
A nice thick, straight coat of hair always helps the 
general appearance and attractiveness of a bunch 
of market hogs. Coarse, curly or wirey coats are 
always considered as external indications of waste- 
fulness from a dressing standpoint and coarseness 
of grain of meat. Insist on a large smooth hog with 
plenty of finish. No attempt is made in this conec- 
tion to describe the breed characteristics of the dif- 
ferent breeds of swine. That is a subject in itself. 
The utility, or dollar and cent end of the pork propo- 
sition alone has received attention. 

The hog for the corn belt farmer is the one 
which will make the largest number of pounds of 
good edible meat from a bushel of corn and the var- 
ious kinds of supplemental feed fed in conjunction 
with the corn. 



10 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

CHAPTER II 

Preparation of Corn and Other Feeding 
Stuffs 

In all swine feeding operations, we must ever 
keep two things in mind, namely: economy of gains 
and rapidity of gains. Any method of feeding or of 
preparing feed for hogs which insures more rapid 
and more economical gains should commend itself 
to the swine raiser. We must always be able to an- 
swer the all important question, "Does it pay?'' 

The most common methods of preparing feeding 
stuffs for swine are grinding, soaking, cooking or 
cutting, depending upon the nature of the feed used. 
Each and every one of these methods of preparation 
means additional cost. In the discussion which fol- 
lows each feeding stuff will be considered separately. 
It is believed that this arrangement will prove more 
convenient to the reader. 

Com. In all of the corn belt states com stands 
as the peer of all feeding stuffs from the point of 
economy of gains. It leads all others from the stand- 
point of total digestible matter. In carbohydrates, 
the fat forming compound, corn ranks high. While 
corn should always constitute from sixty to ninety 
per cent of all hog rations, still the addition of some 
other feeding stuff, rich in protein and ash matter, 
to the corn ration, always insures more rapid and 
generally more economical gains. 

Very extensive experiments in regard to the prep- 
aration of corn for swine feeding have been conduct- 
ed at the Iowa Experiment Station. These cover the 
feeding of ear corn, soaked shelled corn, dry corn 
meal, soaked corn meal, dry corn and cob meal and 
soaked corn and cob meal to some 312 head of all 



PREPARATION OF FEEDS H 

ages and weights. The various costs of the different 
methods of preparation were as follows: 

Shelling corn Ic per bushel. 

Grinding shelled corn to meal 2c per bushel. 

Grinding ear com twice to fine corn and cob 
meal 6c per bushel. 

Soaking corn or corn meal Ic per bushel. 

Where soaking was practiced the water was add- 
ed 12 hours before feeding time. The table, on page 
12, giving the weights of hogs used, the aver- 
age daily gains, the amount of feed per 100 pounds 
of gain and the cost per 100 pounds of gain with corn 
at 50c per bushel and the return per bushel of corn 
when pork sells at $6.00 per cwt. will be found use- 
ful and instructive. 

Experiments reported on page 12 were extensive, 
thus should be reliable. The results obtained would 
seem to justify the following general conclusions in 
regard to the methods tested of preparing corn for 
hogs. 

1. That pigs from weaning time up to 200 lbs. in 
weight made the most economical gains when fed on 
dry ear corn, although in some instances shelled 
corn soaked 12 hours made somewhat faster gains. 

2. Hogs over 200 lbs. in weight made more econ- 
omical gains on shelled corn soaked in water 12 hours 
than on dry ear com or com meal in any form and 
the gains made were almost as rapid. The amount 
of corn saved by shelling and soaking ranged from 
4 to 7.5 per cent, in the different lots, being highest 
in those lots on pasture. 

3. Shelled com soaked 12 hours was more palat- 
able and produced faster and more economical gains 
than shelled corn which had been soaked 24 hours. 
It proved useless to grind com for hogs of any ag© 



12 



PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 



Lots 



Kind of Corn 



Total 
days 
fed 



Ave. 
daily 
gain 



Feed ICost per 100 

per lUU corn at 50c 
lb. gainj per bu. 



Return 
from bu. 

of com 
Pork--$6. 



Three months old pigs weighing from 45 to 50 lt)s. each 
fed on grass. 



Dry ear corn 

Soaked shelled corn... 

Dry corn meal 

Soaked corn meal 

Dry corn and cob meal 
Soaked corn and 
cob meal 



172 


951b 


4391b 


$4.28 


172 


.941b 


4501b 


4.43 


172 


.85Ib 


498tb 


5.02 


172 


.93tb 


4931b 


4.95 


172 


.511b 


7001b 


6.36 


172 


.561b 


6701b 


6.12 



73c 

71c 
62c 
64c 
60c 

62c 



Copn 10 parts — Meat Meal 1 part 

Hogs weighing around 100 lb. at start, fed during spring 

and summer in dry yards. 



1 I Dry ear corn 

2 I Soaked shelled corn. 

3 I Dry corn meal 

4 Soaked corn meal... 



140 


1.321b 


4651b 


$4.56 


140 


1.301b 


4421b 


4.41 


140 


1.211b 


4631b 


4.77 


140 


1.521b 


4451b 


4.59 



69c 
72c 
66c 
69c 



Corn 10 parts — Meat Meal 1 part. 

Hogs weighing around 200 lb. at start, fed during spring 

and summer in dry yards. 



1 I Dry ear corn , 

2 I Soaked shelled com, 

3 I Dry corn meal 

4 I Soaked corn meal . , , 



84 


1.741b 


4681b 


$4.65 


84 


1.921b 


4491b 


4.53 


84 


1.991b 


4521b 


4.71 


84 


2.001b 


4611b 


4.80 



68c 
70c 
68c 
66c 



Corn Alone. 

Hogs weighing around 200 lb. at start fed during summer 

on pasture. 



I Dry ear corn 

Soaked shelled corn. 



45 
45 



1.311b 
1.421b 



5441b I $5.03 
5041b I 4.74 



60c 
64c 



Corn 12 parts — Meat Meal 1 part. 

Thin sows weighing around 225 lb. at start and fed during 
fall in dry lot. 



1 I Dry ear corn 

2 I Soaked shelled corn. 

3 I Dry corn meal 

4 I Soaked corn meal.. 



56 


2.041b 


4271b 


$4.13 


56 


2.491b 


3981b 


3.92 


56 


2.401b 


4011b 


4.08 


56 


2.441b 


4051b 


4.13 



76c 
81c 
79c 

78g 



PREPARATION OF FEEDS 13 

when the weather was warm enough to permit soak- 
ing. 

4. Com and cob meal is not a practical way to 
feed corn to swine. It is not conducive to either 
rapid or economical gains. This is due, no doubt, to 
the fact that it is too bulky to be utilized in sufficient 
quantities by the young pig or more mature hog be- 
cause of the relatively small size of their stomachs. 

5. In summary, it may be truthfully said that in 
the case of hogs under 200 pounds in weight that the 
scoop shovel is all that is needed to prepare the corn 
for feeding. With hogs over 200 lbs., in mild weath- 
er, soaked shelled corn will produce rapid and econ- 
omical gains, thus should be used. 

All of the experiments conducted to date, with 
the cooking of corn for swine, have shown that it re- 
quired a smaller amount of the raw or uncooked corn 
than of the cooked corn to produce a hundred pounds 
of pork. 

Barley. Barley stands next to corn as a feed for 
pork production. In many countries it heads the list. 
In this country it is usually too high in price as com- 
pared with corn. Large amounts of discolored bar- 
ley are used for swine feeding. Barley, on account 
of its hard shell, should be ground and soaked in 
preparation for swine feeding. When prepared in 
this way the feed is much more palatable and pro- 
duces more economical gains than when fed whole 
or in the dry ground meal form. 

Shorts. Shorts should be fed in the form of a 
rather thick slop for best results. 

Wheat. Damaged wheat, when fed with some 
other feeding stuffs not to exceed one-third or one- 
half of the ration, gives very good results. It may 
be fed whole in the dry form, soaked or perhaps the 
best results will be obtained when it is crushed and 
soaked some 12 hours before being fed. 



14 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

Tankage or Meat Meal. These packinghouse pro- 
ducts are now very generally used as a protein and 
ash supplement to the com ration. They may be fed 
in the dry form but are most relished when mixed 
with water in the form of a thin slop. There is also 
less waste when fed in the slop form as dry tankage 
or meat meal is blown by the hogs, thus some of it 
wasted. 

Rye. Eye should be ground and fed in the form 
of a thin slop. The best results are obtained when 
not more than one-half of the ration is composed of 
rye. 

Oats. The method of preparing oats will depend 
upon the size and age of the pigs. In the case of 
young pigs the oats should be ground and the hulls 
sieved out. They may either be fed dry or in the 
form of a slop. The latter method is perhaps the 
best. For breeding stock, and shotes not being fat- 
tened, whole oats are very valuable feed and may be 
scattered on dry ground or on a feeding floor. 

Oil Meal. This feed is often fed as a supplement 
to some carbonaceous feed such as corn. It is best 
to feed it in the form of a thin slop and not to ex- 
ceed ten per cent, of the ration. 

Cottonseed Meal. It is generally conceded that 
cottonseed as now prepared, is poisonous to swine. 
If fed at all it should be used in very small quantities 
and fed in the form of a thin slop. 

Gluten Feed. This feed being a by-product of 
corn is not so well adapted to add to the com ration 
as some of the other protein feeds, such as meat meal, 
tankage or oil meal. Gluten feed should be fed in the 
form of a slop as it is lacking from the standpoint 
of palatability if fed in the dry form. 

Potatoes. All experiments to date clearly indi- 
cate that steamed or cooked potatoes are very much 
superior to raw potatoes for swine feeding purposes. 



PREPARATION OF FEEDS 15 

When fed in this way and mixed with corn, 400 lbs. 
of potatoes are the equivalent of 100 lbs. corn. 

Pumpkins. Careful tests have been made with 
the feeding of raw and cooked pumpkins to swine. 
The results to date all seem to favor the feeding in 
the raw form for best results. 

Skim Milk. The most economical way to feed 
skim milk or butter milk is to feed 3 lbs. of the milk 
to one pound of corn or other grain feed. When 
larger amounts of the milk are fed the gains are 
smaller and more expensive. 

Alfalfa and Clover Hay. Both alfalfa and clover 
hay are very useful feeds for breeding swine. If 
the hay is cut early and properly cured so as to re- 
tain the leaves and have fine stems, it is surprising 
the amount of hay the hogs will eat. 

It has been found that grinding these feeds has 
no advantage over cutting in short lengths and is 
very much more expensive. At the Iowa Experi- 
ment Station the whole hay proved a very good feed. 
Both the alfalfa and clover furnish some protein and 
ash matter and have a very favorable influence on 
the digestive system. These feeds are very useful 
for brood sows during the pregnancy period. 

In summarizing the advantages* and disadvant- 
ages of preparing feed for swine, the whole question 
resolves itself around three main points. Does the 
preparation increase the digestibility of the same? 
Does the preparation increase the palatability of the 
ration so as to insure heavier daily gains? Will 
these advantages be marked enough to warrant the 
additional expense involved in preparing the feed? 



16 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

CHAPTEE ni 

Feed, Care and Management of the 
Brood Sow 

We must pay more and more attention to the 
feed, care and management of our brood sows. That 
the health of the sows, the strength, size and condi- 
tion of pigs at birth and even the size of the litter, 
to some extent, are influenced and even governed 
very largely by the feeding of the sows previous to 
breeding time and during the pregnancy period is 
now an established fact. Good results, or good luck 
as is often claimed, follow intelligent methods of 
feeding and management of the brood sow. The 
cheapest ration from the standpoint of the cost of 
the feed consumed, is not always the most economi- 
cal. The number of pigs raised and the condition of 
the same at weaning time, are important factors to 
be considered in this connection. A good healthy 
bunch of pigs at weaning time open up the brightest 
and most profitable market ever known to the corn 
belt farmer for his corn crop. 

The feeding and management of the brood sow 
varies with the age and condition of the sow. This 
leads up to another question. Which is the better, 
young or mature sows for breeding purposes? All 
experimental work shows conclusively that larger lit- 
ters, larger individual pigs and much stronger pigs 
at birth are always secured when mature sows are 
used. Where two litters per year are raised, ma- 
ture sows are always the most profitable mothers. 
If but one litter per year is reared the younger sows 
have stronger claims. This is due to the fact that 
they are kept growing from birth until marketed. 
As soon as the litters are weaned the sows are put 
in the fattening lot and made ready for market. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE SROOD SOW 



17 




A GOOD HEAD AND BACK 



18 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

Young SOWS, such as the vast majority of our 
farmers keep for breeding purposes, should receive 
rations fairly rich in protein and ash as they are 
adapted to body growth and the general good health 
of the sow. Older sows, especially if they are thin 
in flesh, do not require as much protein in their ra- 
tions. They should be gradually increased in flesh, 
not made fat however, so as to have them in good 
condition for the suckling period which is always 
a severe drain on the system. Both young and old 
sows should have ample opportunity for exercise as 
it is fundamental to both the health and strength of 
the mother and the unborn young. 

The vast majority of our people do not furnish 
their brood sows, especially young sows, with a suf- 
ficient amount of protein and ash constituents in 
their rations. These compounds are absolutely nec- 
essary in the proper development of the unborn pig. 
Its body is composed almost solely of three com- 
pounds, water, protein and ash. These must be 
furnished the mother in sufficient quantities to in- 
sure the best results at farrowing time and during 
the suckling period as they are the chief source of 
the milk supply. A ration comopsed of corn alone is 
lacking in both protein and ash matter. 

EARLY OR LATE LITTERS 

There is much diversity of opinion in regard to 
the most desirable time to have the sows farrow. 
There are many who advocate having the sows far- 
row during March or the early part of April. Others, 
and they are by no means in the minority, claim that 
May is the ideal time for the young pigs to arrive. 
There are many good arguments on both sides of 
this question. It must be settled by each individual 
as the question of suitable quarters and cold weather 
accommodations are of vital importance. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 19 

The man who has warm pens and suitable feed 
can handle early pigs to good advantage. He must 
be prepared to keep the little fellows warm even in 
zero or below zero weather. When pigs reach two or 
three weeks of age, they are able to withstand con- 
siderable cold but very young pigs are very delicate, 
thus perish very soon in cold quarters. These early 
pigs, when given a good start, have considerable ad- 
vantage over May pigs in that they may be market- 
ed during the late fall or early winter months. They 
are also better able to utilize early forage crops such 
as alfalfa or clover. If fall litters are desired, the 
sows may be re-bred in time to secure early Septem- 
ber pigs. The chief disadvantages to March pigs are 
the additional labor required at farrowing time, 
heavy loss of pigs during cold weather unless hous- 
ing conditions are very favorable, the difficulty in 
furnishing the sows with proper rations to insure a 
liberal flow of milk and the prevalence of thumps 
and other troubles which are apt to attack the young 
pigs, due to lack of fresh air and exercise. 

Pigs farrowed during the month of May seldom 
cause the owners much worry or trouble. The sows 
can be out of* doors, thus secure sufficient pasture to 
cool the system and stimulate a good flow of milk. 
Except in the case of real wet weather, when some of 
the litter may be drowned, there is not much likli- 
hood of any heavy losses at farrowing time. Artific- 
ial conditions are largely replaced by the more nat- 
ural conditions and nature generally takes good care 
of her own. 

The chief disadvantages to these late litters are 
that the pigs must be carried through the major 
portion of the winter season, else be sold below the 
average market weights for good fat hogs and these 
yaung pigs are not ready to handle early forage 
crops to good advantage. 



20 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

FEEDING SOWS PREVIOUS TO AND 
DURING BREEDING SEASON 

That it pays to feed the sows on the right kind 
of rations previous to and during the breeding sea- 
son can not be disputed. The gilt or sow that is in 
a good healthy, vigorous condition at breeding time 
is much more likely to settle to the first service than 
the sow that is over fat or receiving insufficient nour- 
ishment. There is also no doubt but that the general 
vigor and health of both the sire and the dam at 
mating time has much to do with the size of the lit- 
ter. Good hog men, the world over, have long since 
recognized the truth of the above statements. These 
conditions can be brought about only by proper feed- 
ing and furnishing a liberal amount of exercise. It 
pays to start right in any line of business and espe- 
cially in the hog business. 

In the case of gilts, they should be in good grow- 
ing condition. They should be building up the body 
frame work. This requires a bone and muscle pro- 
ducing ration. Corn alone is not sufficient. It is too 
much of a fat former and does not contain enough 
of the protein and ash compounds. Corn, on ac- 
count of its relative cheapness in the corn belt states, 
should constitute the major part of the ration. Some 
form of supplement, fairly rich in both protein and 
ash constituents, should be added in sufficient quan- 
tities to properly balance the ration. When skim 
milk and butter milk are available, they both make 
excellent adjuncts to the corn ration. Wheat shorts, 
to the extent of one-third of the ration, will also 
give good results. At the Iowa Station the most sat- 
isfactory rations used, both from the standpoint of 
economy and general influence on the sows, were 
corn 8 parts and meat meal 1 part; corn 8 parts, 
short 3 parts and either tankage or meat meal 1 part. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 



21 



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22 PROFITABl^E PORK PRODUCTION 

While both clover hay and alfalfa have been relished 
by the sows, we have never been able in the case of 
gilts, to get them to eat enough of these feeds to prop- 
erly balance the corn ration. The main object 
should be to feed the sows or gilts in such a way as 
to insure good health and a well developed body 
frame work. 

TEEDING DURING PREGNANCY PERIOD 

It has long since been a well established fact that 
a pig which has been stunted during the suckling 
period seldom, if ever, makes profitable gains during 
the fattening period. Recent investigations have 
shown that this stunting process may occur even be- 
fore the pig is born. The manner in which the brood 
sow is handled during the period of pregnancy de- 
termines, in a large measure, the vigor, size and con- 
dition of the young at birth. Thus we see the im- 
portance of the right kind of treatment of the moth- 
er during pregnancy to insure good results. 

While good breeding is indispensible in the prop- 
er development of swine, still good feeding is fully 
as important. Obesrvation and experience teaches 
us that good feeding and good breeding are insepar- 
able essentials in the securing of ideal development. 
The best bred animals are more likely to fail in the 
hands of the careless feeder than the more common 
bred animals in the hands of the good caretaker. 

Recent investigations at the Iowa Experiment 
Station have shown clearly that the rations fed the 
pregnant sows effect, in a large degree, the size, vig- 
or, condition and general thrift of the offsrping. 
Practical hog men have long since learned that there 
is a right and wrong way to feed and care for the 
pregnant sow. It is now generally recognized that 
corn alone is not an efficient ration for the produc- 
tion of strong, healthy, well developed pigs.. The 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 



23 



problem is to find a suitable supplement to corn as 
it is our cheapest source of digestible nutrients. 

Mature sows should be fed in such a way as to 
insure a good healthy condition and to avoid any 
tendency to being over fat. A fat sow is seldom if 
ever a profitable mother. In the case of gilts they 
should be fed on rations conducive to good body 
growth. Here again fatness is very objectionable. 
The properly nourished gilt should gain at least one- 
half pound daily during the pregnancy period. She 
should show good body growth. Her coat of hair 
should present a healthy appearance. If she is dis- 
contented it is a sure indication that there is some- 
thing lacking in the ration furnished. 

Some recent investigations conducted at the Iowa 
Experiment Station in the feeding of gilts are of in- 
terest to the corn belt farmer. A bunch of gilts of 
uniform breeding size and condition were divided 
into some five lots to test the efficiency of five differ- 
ent rations. Lot I was fed on ear corn alone. Lot 
II was fed ear corn 29 parts and meat meal I part. 
Lot III was fed ear corn 7VL' parts and meat meal 1 
part. Lot IV was fed ear corn and clover hay in 
racks. Lot V was fed ear corn and alfalfa hay in 
racks. 







A V. Init- 


Shelled 


Supplement 
Daily 


Av. 


Lot 


Ration 


ial wt. 


corn eat- 


daily 






per gilt 


en daily 


gain 


I 


Ear Corn 


309 lb. 


3.65 lb. 


None 


.3541b. 


II 


EarCorn29parts 






Meat meal 1 part 


210 lb. 


8.21 lb. 


Meat meal. 127 ft) 


.582 1b. 


III 


Earcorn73^part 












Meat meal 1 part 


200 lb. 


2.75 lb. 


Meat meal. 432 ft) 


.635 lb. 


IV 


Ear corn and 












Whole Clover. . 


200 lb. 


3.67 1b. 


Clover .302 ft) 


.528 lb. 


V 


Ear corn and 












Whole Alfalfa 


211 lb. 


3.74 lb. 


Alfalfa 1.106 ft, 


.627 lb. 



The foregoing table, which gives the initial 
weights of each lot, the average amount of corn eat- 



24 



PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 



en per day per sow (ear corn being reduced to shell- 
ed corn basis), the average amount of each supple- 
ment eaten per sow per day and the average daily 
gain per sow and during the pregnancy period should 
be both interesting and helpful. 

It will be noted that the gilts getting the ear com 
alone made the lightest daily gains while those get- 
ting ear corn 7% parts and meat meal 1 part made 
the heaviest daily gains. It was very noticeable all 
through the test that the gilts in Lot I on ear corn 
alone, were very restless. They were always root- 
ing and apparently looking for something to satisfy 
their appetites. Those in the other lots, and more 
especially Lot III fed on ear corn IV? parts and meat 
meal 1 part, presented a thrifty, sleek-coated appear- 
ance and were always quiet and restful in behavior, 
indicating that their body wants were satisfied. 

What were the results at farrowing time? The 
following table giving the number of pigs farrowed, 
the average weight of the litters, the average weight 
per pig and the number of pigs saved per sow at 
weaning time is of interest. Especial attention 
should be given to the average size of pig at birth 
and the number saved at weaning time. 



Lot 



Ration 



No. in 
Ave. 
Litter 



Wt. of 

Ave. Lit 

ter 



Ave.wt. 
per pig 

in lot 

Lbs. 



A-ve.No. 
of pigs 
saved 
per sow 
at wean- 
ingtime 



I 
fl 

III 

IV 

V 



Ear Corn 

Ear Corn 29 parts 
Meat Meal 1 part. . 
Ear Com TV2 parts 
Meat Meal 1 part. . 
Ear Corn and 

Whole Clover 

Ear Corn and 
Whole Alfalfa 



7.6 


13.2a 


1.74 


7.4 


14.89 


2.01 


8.8 


19.62 


2.23 


6.4 


14.17 


2.21 


7.6 


17.41 


2.29 



5.2 
6.2 

7.0 
5.6 
6.4 



The above table shows that in average size of 
litter at birth that Lot I fed on ear corn was above 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 



25 



the average but in average weight per pig and in 
number of pigs saved at weaning time it was much 
below the general average. Lot III fed on ear cron 
71/2 parts and meat meal 1 part, is again in the lead. 
Here we find the largest litter at birth, the second 
highest average weight of pigs at birth and clearly 
the largest number of pigs saved at weaning time. 
Lot V fed on ear corn and alfalfa again ranks a close 
second. While the average number of pigs farrowed 
in the alfalfa lot and the ear corn lot was the same, 
there is a marked contrast in the average weight of 
the pigs and the number reared at weaning time in 
favor of the lot fed on alfalfa and corn. The clover 
and corn lot also made a very good showing. 

The condition and vigor of the pigs at birth is 
an interesting study. The following table gives the 
percentages of strong, medium, weak and dead pigs 
at birth in each of the lots fed on the various rations. 



Lot I 



Ration 







1 % 


I 


Ear Corn 


68 42 


n 


Bar Cbm 29 parts 






Meat Meal 1 part 


91.89 


111 


Ear Corn lYz parts 






Meat Meal 1 part 


93.18 


IV 


Ear Corn and 






Whole Clover 


93.75 


V 


Ear Corn and 






Whole Alfalfa 


89.47 



Strong I Med. | Weak | Dead 



I % I 



% 




None 
None 
None 
None 
None 
None 
None 
None 
2.63 



The above table shows clearly that the ration fed 
the mother has a marked influene upon the vitality 
of the new born pigs. The pigs from the sows in Lot 
I, fed on ear corn alone, had the least vitality. The 
pigs classed as weak were really very largely runts. 
Lot III fed on ear corn 71/2 parts and meat meal 1 
part, is again in the lead. It is not neoessary to argue 
the importance of having strong pigs at birth. 



26 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

Every man, who has raised hogs, appreciates this 
point. 

In the above test meat meal, a packing house by- 
product, has given excellent results. The writer has 
every reason to believe that a good grade of tankage 
would give equally as good results. They are both 
packing house by-products and for all practical feed- 
ing purposes there appears to be but little, if any 
difference in their relative feeding values for brood 
sows or fattening hogs, when fed with corn. That we 
should always feed some form of protein and ash 
supplement to the corn ration for brood sows has 
been thoroughly demonstrated. The younger the 
sow the more necessary that we have a good supply 
of both protein and ash compounds. The rations 
given in this connection are very satisfactory. They 
may or may not be the best under all conditions. 
Some other feeding stuffs may furnish both protein 
and ash compounds cheaper and perhaps with better 
results. Oil meal has been used by many hog men. 
It must be fed very carefully and not to exceed ten 
per cent, of the ration, else abortion may follow its 
use. When fed in moderate amounts, it gives very 
good results. It keeps the digestive system in good 
condition and seems to insure good health of the sow. 
Wheat shorts are a very good feed when not too high 
in price. Corn, however, in the corn belt states, 
should constitute the major portion of the ration be- 
cause it is the cheapest and most highly digestible 
feed available. All swine men must provide some 
good supplemental feed rich in both protein and ash 
matter, to add to the corn ration to insure the best 
results at farrowing time. 

FEEDING AT FARROWING TIME 

Sows receiving well balanced rations during the 
pregnancy period, do not, as a rule, require a great 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BROOD SOW 27 

deal of add itional attention at farrowing time. Keep 
the sow's digestive organs in good natural condi- 
tion. Three or four days previous to farrowing, it 
is a good idea to reduce the grain allowance and 
feed a rather thin slop. Some wheat shorts or wheat 
bran are very good to mix with the water, as they 
both exert a favorable influence on the digestive or- 
gans. Every precaution should be taken to prevent 
a feverish condition of the sow at this time. Any 
tendency towards constipation is liable to cause a 
heated condition of the body. Some very successful 
swine raisers feed from 3 to 5 ozs. of Epsom salts 
about two days before farrowing. This is done to 
cool out the system. Sows that are feverish are 
much more likely to be vicious than those in good 
condition. Where some oil meal, bran, roots or the 
leaves of either alfalfa or clover hay are fed, there 
is seldom any trouble due to an over heated condi- 
tion of the body system. It is not a good idea to 
increase the rations until at least four or five days 
after farrowing. This gives the sow a chance to re- 
cover before the milk flow arrives. 

Farrowiuii 'me needs but little attention when 
the sows are (^ l of doors in a grass lot. The mother 
usually makes her own bed and all is well. With 
early pigs in the hog house it is different. The pen 
should be warm as little pigs can not withstand much 
cold weather. Either chaff or cut straw should be 
furnished as bedding. Long straw tangles the little 
fellows up, thus oftentimes causes the mother to lie 
on top of them. A fender about six inches wide 
should be placed around the wall about six or eight 
inches from the floor. This will prevent the sow from 
crushing the little ones against the wall. In real 
cold weather it is a good idea to keep the little pigs 
in a nice warm basket with artificial heat and cov- 
ered up to protect them from the cold, except at in- 



28 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

tervals of every three or four hours during the day, 
when they are allowed to nurse. This additional 
care need only be given for four or five days. 

FEEDING DURING SUCKLING PERIOD 

As soon as the sow has recovered from her far- 
rowing troubles, which usually takes from three to 
^ye days, the ration should be gradually increased. 
The more milk the sow gives, the faster will her 
pigs grow, providing they have sufficient exercise to 
prevent thumps. This requires liberal feeding on 
rations of a highly concentrated nature. Where 
skim milk is available it will be found very useful at 
this time. The following rations have given very 
good results. Corn meal 7 parts and meat meal or 
tankage 1 part in the form of a slop; corn meal 2 
parts, wheat shorts 1 part and skim milk enough to 
make a rather thin slop; corn meal 6 parts, wheat 
shorts 3 parts and oil meal 1 part, fed in the form of 
a slop; corn meal 1 part, ground barley 1 part and 
ground oats 1 part, fed in the form of a slop com- 
posed of either skim milk or water; corn meal 1 
part and ground oats 1 part fed in a skim milk slop; 
ground barley 3 parts and wheat shorts 2 parts fed 
in a slop; ground barley and skim milk fed in a slop; 
ground barley 4 parts, ground oats 3 parts and eith- 
er meat meal or tankage 1 part fed in the form of a 
slop. Many other rations might be mentioned but 
the above list ought to be sufficient. Feed each sow 
what she will eat up clean at least three times daily 
during the first five weeks of the suckling period. 
By the time the young pigs are two and a half or 
three weeks old they ought to be encouraged to eat 
some grain feed. Where skim milk is available, a 
mixture of shorts and skim milk, ground barley and 
skim milk or sieved oats and skim milk is very ap- 
petizing. Soon a Iktle soaked shelled corn scattered 



FORAaS CROPS AND SUMMMl FEEDING 2d 

on the feeding floor will appeal to the little fellows. 
Encourage them to eat and have them ready to 
wean by the time they are seven or eight weeks old. 

It is very important that well fed young pigs be 
given a liberal amount of exercise. If not provided 
with exercise they are liable to become too fat and 
may die from thumps, or other troubles. Where it 
is impossible to give plenty of exercise it is then nec- 
essary^ to cut down the sow's ration so as to decrease 
the milk flow. 

Too much attention cannot be given the sow and 
her young during this stage of the little pig's life. 
A pig that is well born and well fed during the suck- 
ling period usually pays good dividends to his owner. 



CHAPTER IV 

Forage Crops and Summer Feeding 
of Swine 

Every swine raiser must utilize more and more 
some of the various forms of forage crops in the 
growing and developing of his pig crop. This has 
been clearly proven by extensive investigations at 
the Iowa Experiment Station, covering a period of 
five years during which time almost two thousand 
head of pigs were grown and fattened for market. 
Corn, in the ear form was fed in conjunction with 
each form of forage crop. These experiments 
brought out very clearly the following points: 

1. That the forage feeding system of growing 
and fattening young hogs offers great inducements 
to hog raisers. An acre of good corn belt land when 
devoted to forage crops, with corn at 50 cents per 
bushel and hogs at $5.00 per cwt., should return 



30 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

from $30.00 to $60.00 profit when grazed with spring 
pigs. Alfalfa; rape; clover; oats, clover and rape; 
oats, peas and rape and sweet clover all give very 
good results. 

2. That the amount of pork produced by an acre 
of forage crops varies in accordance with the kind 
of the crop, the amount of grain fed and the age of 
the hogs used. With spring pigs it ranges from 
about 350 pounds on blue grass and timothy to over 
1400 pounds in the case of rape. The other forms 
of forage crops previously mentioned all range high. 
Where fairly mature hogs are used, averaging over 
200 pounds in weight, the pork returns are very 
much lower ranging from 50 to a trifle over 300 
pounds per acre. 

3. That the cost of a hundred pounds of gain, 
all expenses included with corn at 50 cents per 
bushel, on young pigs with best forages such as alf- 
alfa, rape and the clovers, runs from $2.88 to $3.96 
per cwt. In the case of older and heavier hogs the 
cost of gains ranged from $4.23 to $5.31 per cwt. 

4. That the dry lot system of feeding young pig's 
is very slow and expensive as compared with the 
forage crop plan. 

5. That heavy old hogs, well grown and weigh- 
ing 200 pounds or more, make as rapid and econom- 
ical gains in dry lots as on forage crops. 

6. That blue grass and timothy is not an efficient 
hog pasture. Both of these grasses are deficient in 
both protein and ash matter for best results, espe- 
cially with young pigs. 

7. That alfalfa is our greatest permanent hog 
forage. The cheapest pork produced was made on 
alfalfa pasture at a cost of $2.88 per cwt., corn cost- 
ing 50 cents per bushel. 

8. That rape is a superior emergency crop. It 
may be sown practically any time during the grow- 



FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 31 

ing season up until August. The largest total gains 
and the largest acre profits were made upon rape. 
Red clover is about the equal of rape as a swine for- 
age crop. Clover does not last as well as the rape 
during the fall months. 

9. That oats, rape and clover, and oats, peas and 
rape are both very useful forage crops. 

10. That sweet clover in its first year of growth 
is equal to red clover, but during the second year the 
plant becomes too woody for best results. 

11. That green rye is very useful as an early 
spring and late fall pasture. Ripe rye should not 
be used as a pasture crop for hogs. 

12. That an ideal forage crop for hogs should 
possess the following points: 

(1). Adaptability to local soil and climatic con- 
ditions. 

(2). Palatability, that is it must be relished by 
the hogs. 

(3). A heavy yielder, it must be rich in protein 
and ash matter to balance up the corn ration. 

(4). It must be succulent and last throughout the 
entire grazing season. Some crops are good only 
during the spring and early summer months, thus 
furnish no fall pasture. 

(5). Permanency is very desirable as in the case 
of alfalfa. 

(6). Be capable of furnishing quick pasture at 
any time during the growing season. These essen- 
tials are not all found in any one crop but alfalfa, 
the clovers and rape furnish the most of them. 

In discussing the various kinds of forage crops 
each will be considered separately. 

ALFALFA 

Where alfalfa can be grown, and it can be grown 
successfully in most sections, it is one of the most 



32 . PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

valuable forage crops known to the swine grower. 
It is rich in both protein and ash matter, thus affords 
an excellent supplement to the corn ration. From 
the standpoint of palatability it is second to no other 
crop. In permanency it leads the list. From the 
standpoint of furnishing a pasture throughout the 
entire season it is exceptionally good. When sown 
during the month of August it affords an early for- 
age crops for the next spring. It must be grown on 
well drained land, not subject to overflow, as either 
ice or water will kill out the crop. While it does 
very well on fairly light soil, still the best results 
are always obtained from rich land. 

The cheapest gains ever made at the Iowa Ex- 
periment Station with young pigs, were with alfalfa 
pasture and ear corn. These gains cost $2.88 per 
cwt. when all expenses were considered, corn valued 
at 50 cents per bushel. 

From May 19th until November 15th a period of 
180 days, the alfalfa pasture carried about 17 pigs 
to the acre. These pigs averaged 18.75 pounds each 
at the beginning and a trifle over 168 pounds each 
at the conclusion of the work. These pigs were fed 
an average daily grain ration of 4.05 pounds per hun- 
dred pounds live weight, in addition to the alfalfa 
pasture. They made an average daily gain of 1.048 
pounds each during the entire period at a cost of 
$2.88 per cwt. The amount of pork accredited to an 
acre of alfalfa was 865.5 pounds. In addition to this 
3837 pounds of alfalfa hay, valued at $15,00 per ton, 
$28.75 was harvested from the ground. Valuing the 
pork at $5.00 per cwt. and the hay at $15.00 per ton 
the net returns from the acre of alfalfa were $72.02, 
With pork at $6.00 per cwt. and hay at $15.00 per 
ton the returns from an acre of alfalfa would be 
$80.68. 



FOiRAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 33 

RAPE 

As a forage crop for swine Dwarf Essex rape is 
coming into quite general use. All of the experi- 
ments at the Iowa Experiment Station clearly dem- 
onstrate the value of this crop. There are two kinds 
of rape, one known as the summer or bird seed rape 
and the other as the winter annual or biennial rape. 
Dwarf Essex is a variety of the winter annual and 
should always be used as it gives excellent results. 
The bird seed or summer rape should never be used 
in this section of the country as it is useless for graz- 
ing purposes. 

The advantages of rape are many. Pasture may 
be furnished at any time during the growing season 
as rape seed may be sown from early spring until late 
summer. Rape is especially helpful in tiding over 
the dry months of July and August when blue grass 
pastures are hard and unpalatable. When the rape 
seed is sown early in April the pasture will be avail- 
able about the first week in June. Ordinarily rape 
pasture will be ready from six to eight weeks after 
sowing. The pasture usually lasts from the first of 
June until early in November as it will keep growing 
until the heavy fall frosts come. 

The expense of seeding is light as from four to 
six pounds of seed per acre are used. When drilled 
in four pounds is enough but when sown broadcast 
six pounds should be used. The seed costs from six 
to eight cents per pound. Most soils produce very 
good crops when sown to this forage. Land which 
is well suited to corn production makes very excel- 
lent soil for rape. Sandy soil has the objection of 
drying out too quickly thus a light crop during the 
hot dry months when most needed. 

Rape may be sown either by the broadcast or 
drilled method. Drilling the rape in rows about 



34 



PROFITABLB^ PORK PRODUCTION 




FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 35 

eight inclies apart is a very commendable way to 
seed. Some sow it broadcast with very good result- 
ing crop yields but drilling will give a much more 
uniform stand and a better subsequent growth. 
Planting in rows from twenty-four to thirty inches 
apart and cultivating two or three times during the 
season is practiced by some successful farmers. This 
method is advisable on weedy foul land. It also 
helps to conserve the moisture on light soil. 

How should rape be pastured! The hogs should 
not be turned on until the plants are from ten to 
fourteen inches high. Heavy stocking early in the 
season should be avoided. The rape should never be 
eaten so closely as to leave the bare stalks remain- 
ing. When it is pastured down to four or five leaves 
to the stalk the hogs should be taken out to give the 
plants a chance to recuperate. The best plan to fol- 
low is to have just enough pigs so as to allow the 
growth of rape to keep ahead of the pigs rather than 
to have it eaten too closely. About the middle of 
October the rape lots should be heavily stocked so 
as to have the entire crop eaten down before the 
severe November frosts wilt the same. 

During the season of 1911, which was a very dry 
one. Dwarf Essex rape drilled in rows eight inches 
apart gave the following results at the Iowa Experi- 
ment Station. The rape was sown on April 18th and 
the pigs were turned onto the same on June 13th. 
From June 13th until September 11th, a period of 
ninety days, one acre of rape carried 27 pigs aver- 
aging 25 pounds each at the beginning and 79.8 
pounds at the end. On account of the large amount 
of forage on the ground the number of hogs was 
increased on September 11th to 54 head, weighing 
81.3 lb. each, per acre. This number was continued 
until November 20th, a period of seventy days, at 
the end of which time the hogs weighed 177.7 pounds 



S6 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

each. These pigs were fed in addition 4.286 pounds 
of a grain mixture for each one hundred pounds live 
weight. The grain mixture was composed of ear 
corn 19 parts and meat meal 1 part. They made an 
average daily gain of 1.076 pounds each for the 
entire period at a cost of $3.91 per cwt. with corn at 
50 cents per bushel and meat meal at $50.00 per ton. 
The amount of pork accredited to an acre of rape 
was 1438 pounds at $5.00 per cwt, would be worth 
$71.90. Thus we can readily see the importance of 
rape as a forage crop for young and growing pigs. 
These returns are very high. No difficulty should be 
experienced in securing from 600 to 900 pounds of 
pork from an acre of rape. 

CLOVER— MEDIUM RED 

Medium red clover is the chief leguminous pas- 
ture and hay crop of the middle west. This clover 
is called medium red to distinguish it from the larg- 
er, more rank growing mammoth clover. It is a 
biennial, but sometimes lasts three or four years by 
reseeding itself from the second crop. Clover furn- 
ishes a nitrogenous pasture. It is fairly rich in both 
protein and ash matter ,thus is very valuable in bal- 
ancing up the corn ration. It is much superior to 
either blue grass or timothy as a hog pasture and is 
almost the equal of alfalfa. 

The chief disadvantage of clover is the uncer- 
tainty of securing a good stand. It cannot withstand 
drought like alfalfa, rape or sweet clover. This is 
especially true of the second crop. 

Early pasturing is oftentimes the cause of its be- 
ing killed out. It is not a wise plan to turn hogs on 
medium red clover until it has made a good growth, 
which is generally about the last week in May or the 
first week in June. Ripe clover is not relished by the 
hogs. Clipping sometimes helps by freshening up 



FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 37 

the growth. This is especially true if moisture con- 
ditions are favorable. When clover is in full bloom 
it is most relished by hogs. At this time it is often 
noticed that the hogs will eat somewhat less corn 
because of their preference for the clover blossoms. 
Tests at the Iowa Experiment Station have 
shown clover to be a very valuable forage crop for 
swine. Pigs fed on clover pasture and an average 
daily grain ration of ear corn of 3.64 pounds per 
hundred pounds live weight gave the following re- 
sults : From June 4th until November 16th, a period 
of 165 days, an acre of medium red clover pasture 
carried 14 pigs. These pigs averaged 33.4 pounds 
each at the beginning and 218.6 pounds each at the 
conclusion of the test. They made an average daily 
gain of 1.075 pounds each at an average cost of $3.69 
per cwt. when corn was worth 50 cents per bushel. 
The amount of pork accredited to an acre of clover 
was 765 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. would be worth 
$38.25. This is a very good return when we consider 
the small amount of labor involved in the care and 
preparation of the land. 

OATS, MEDIUM RED CLOVER AND RAPE 

The combination of certain crops offers some ad- 
vantages in the growing of a forage for swine. A 
variety of plants in a forage crop for hogs is desir- 
able because if the crops are rightly chosen a large 
yield is possible and in addition the mixture is more 
palatable than a single crop. At the Iowa Experi- 
ment Station a mixture of common field oats, medium 
red clover and Dwarf Essex rape has proven to be 
a very valuable forage. The oats and rape in this 
forage take the lead in growth and furnish an early 
feed. The oats head, some of the grains ripen, and 
later fall to the ground to produce a fall growth. 
The rape, if not too heavily pastured, persists 



38 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

throughout the year. The clover usually comes on 
toward the latter part of favorable seasons, and if 
the rape is eaten down, grows well and furnishes 
considerable pasture. If the season is very dry the 
clover will not amount to much. Barley may be used 
in place of the oats with very good results. Late 
varieties of either the oats or the barley should be 
used. Sow from one to one and one-fourth bushels 
of oats, eight pounds of clover seed and three pounds 
of rape seed per acre. 

The above crop mixture has given very food re- 
sults at the Iowa Station. Pigs fed on a forage crop 
consisting of oats, rape and medium red clover with 
an average daily grain allownnce of 1- pounds per 
hundred pounds live weight gave the following re- 
sults. From June 23rd until Nov. 17, a period of 
147 days, an acre of the above mixture carried 16 
pigs. The pigs averaged 25.8 pounds each at the be- 
ginning and 160.2 pounds each at the conclusion of 
the test. They made an average daily gain of .914 
pounds for the entire period at a cost of $3.56 per 
cwt. when corn was worth 50 cents per bushel. The 
amount of pork accredited to an acre was 795 
pounds at $5.00 per cwt. would be worth $39.75. This 
is an excellent emergency crop. In several instances 
we have secured a very good stand of clover the fol- 
lowing year, where such a combination was used. 

OATS, CANADIAN FIELD PEAS AND RAPE 

The three common crops, oats, Canadian lield 
peas and Dwarf Essex rape, when sown together 
make a very useful forage crop for hogs. This crop 
is especially well adapted to the middle and northern 
states as the Canadian field pea does not do well in 
the south. Early seeding is preferable to late seed- 
ing. Some recommend sowing the peas first and the 
oats and rape about ten days later. When handled 



FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 39 

in this way the peas may be either drilled or plowed 
in to the depth of some three or four inches and the 
other crops put in about two inches deep in a week 
or ten days time. Sowing the entire mixture of 
oats, peas and rape at one drilling has been practiced 
very successfully at the Iowa Station. The rate of 
seeding varies, but a combination of one bushel of 
peas, one bushel of oats and three pounds of the 
Dwarf Essex rape seed, drilled in has given good re- 
sults and the writer feels safe in recommending, the 
same to hog men. 

At the Iowa Station an acre of oats, Canadian 
field peas and rape, in conjunction with an average 
daily grain ration of 3.92 pounds per hundred pounds 
live weight carried 16 pigs for 147 days. The pigs 
averaged 25.8 pounds each at the beginning of the 
work on June 23rd and weighed 152 pounds each at 
the conclusion of the test on November 17th. The 
pigs made an average daily gain of .86 pounds at a 
cost of $3.91 per cwt. with corn at 50 cents per 
bushel. The amount of pork accredited to an acre of 
the forage crops was 657 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. 
would be worth $32.85. This crop was very palatable 
and could be used to good advantage when more per- 
manent forms of forage are not available. 

SWEET CLOVER 

Sweet clover is a legume, belonging to the same 
family of plants as medium red clover, alfalfa, soy 
beans, cow peas and other useful corn belt nitrogen 
gatherers. In common with other legumes, sweet 
clover does best upon soils which are rich in lime. 
The plant itself is rich in lime, thus an excellent hog 
feed in that it furnishes one of the main constituents 
of bone. . 

The better corn lands are exceptionally well 
adapted to sweet clover culture. This plant will 



40 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

make remarkable growth upon clayey and stony hill- 
sides. It will grow and do very well on a soil that 
is ordinarily too wet for alfalfa. Along the road- 
sides where the soil is hard it grows in abundance. 

A seeding of sweet clover will last only two years 
unless the clover is allowed to reseed in the second 
year of its growth. Being a short biennial, the pas- 
ture furnished the second season will not ordinarily 
be as good as that furnished the first year. To in- 
sure new growth in the pasture . every year it is ad- 
visable to make an extra seeding in the early spring 
following the first year's planting. Little difficulty 
will be found in eradicating sweet clover, as it will 
naturally die out if not allowed to produce seed. 

Different people advocate different methods of 
sowing sweet clover. Some say sow it in the fall, 
others recommend the early spring months, others 
say in April or May with nurse crops. At the Iowa 
Station the sweet clover plots were seeded in the 
spring, alone, at the rate of 18 pounds of hulled seed 
per acre. The growth came on well and no difficulty 
was encountered in securing a good stand. 

A bitter principle called cumarin is present in 
sweet clover. Animals when eating the forage crop 
for the first time are inclined not to relish it because 
of the bitter taste, but if confined so that they can 
eat no other green feed, soon find the clover palat- 
able. The hogs prefer the green leaves and the ten- 
der portions of the stems. Sweet clover should be 
pastured fairly close. If allowed to grow high it 
becomes woody and unpalatable. If the hogs do not 
keep it down, it should be clipped as it is the new 
growth which appeals to the appetite of the hog. 
The crop furnishes a very good pasture the first year 
but is inclined to become hard and woody during the 
second season. 

At the Iowa Station an acre of sweet clover seed- 



FORAGE CROPS AND SUMMER FEEDING 41 

ed on April 4th in conjunction with an average 
daily grain ration of 3.96 pounds per hundred pounds 
live weight carried 22 pigs for 141 days. The pigs 
averaged about 38 pounds each at the beginning of 
the test on June 22nd and weighed 182 pounds each 
at the conclusion of the same on November 10th. 
The pigs made an average daily gain of 1.022 pounds 
at a cost of $3.70 per cwt. when corn was worth 50 
cents per bushel. The amount of pork accredited to 
an acre of sweet clover was 854 pounds at $5.00 per 
cwt. would be worth $42.70. The writer does not, at 
this time, recommend the growing of sweet clover 
for swine forage purposes upon those soils which are 
well adapted to the growing of alfalfa. The sweet 
clover stands close pasturing better than alfalfa and 
will grow on harder soils and under more adverse 
conditions. 

BLUE GRASS AND TIMOTHY 

Kentucky blue grass is the permanent pasture 
grass of Iowa and many other corn belt states. This 
grass is more firmly entrenched on clay lands than 
where the soil is inclined to be sandy. The great 
advantage of this grass is that it is an extremely 
hardy and permanent perennial. It furnishes an 
early as well as a late pasture. 

The chief disadvantage of this grass is the dry 
sparse pasturage furnished during the hot summer 
months of July and August. This is the ''resting 
stage" of the blue grass, thus some additional form 
of forage crop should be supplied to tide the hogs 
through this period. 

Timothy, outside of the legumes, is the standard 
hay grass of the corn belt section. It is used to a 
considerable extent in the earlier stages of establish- 
ing a stand of blue grass. Like the blue grass it is 
lacking in both protein and ash matter from the 



42 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

standpoint of an ideal forage crop for swine. Where 
snch pasture is nsed a liberal allowance of protein 
and ash matter should be supplied in the grain 
ration. 

At the Iowa Station an acre of blue grass and 
timothy in the relative approximate proportions of 
75 per cent blue grass and 25 per cent timothy was 
used for swine grazing purposes. In conjunction 
with the same was fed an average daily grain allow- 
ance of 3.68 pounds per hundred pounds live weight 
of the pigs. This combination carried 14 pigs for 
165 days. The pigs averaged 33.5 pounds each at 
the beginning of the test on June 4th and weighed 
161 pounds each at the conclusion of the work on 
November 16th. The pigs made an average daily 
gain of .723 pounds at a cost of $4.09 per cwt. when 
corn was worth 50 cents per bushel. The amount of 
pork accredited to an acre of blue grass and timothy 
was 378 pounds at $5.00 per cwt. would be worth 
$18.90. The combination of blue grass and timothy 
should be used only when other forms of forage 
crops are not available. When used the grain ration 
should be fairly rich in both protein and ash matter 
to insure good daily gains. 

RYE 

Rye furnishes a very good late fall and early 
spring pasture. The laxative nature of green rye is 
quite pronounced. We have had considerable dif- 
ficulty with scouring when the green rye was pas- 
tured with shotes or newly weaned pigs. To counter- 
act the loosening tendency of this ration the addition 
of a tablespoonful of blood meal in the case of shotes 
and a teaspoonful in the case of smaller pigs, is of 
much value. 

Tests made at the Iowa Station have shown that 
the practice of *' hogging down" ripe rye is very 



HOGGING DOWN CORN 43 

wasteful. The hogs made very light gains and the 
net returns in pork per bushel of rye were not more 
than one-third of the market value of the rye. 

All of the tests at the Iowa Station have shown 
conclusively that the cheapest way to grow and fat- 
ten pigs, ranging from 20 to 175 pounds each in 
weight ,was through the use of forage crops and a 
moderate grain allowance. The cost of the gains 
varied with the different crops used and the weight 
of the pigs. 

In all cases of hogs weighing 175 pounds and up- 
wards, the use of forage crops has not shown such 
favorable results. In many instances the 200-pound 
hogs have 'made heavier daily gains and relatively 
cheaper gains when fed on suitable grain rations in 
the dry lot. This would indicate that while the 
young and growing pig is well adapted to utilize 
forage crops for the greater part of its ration, the 
older and more mature hog gives its greatest and 
most economical returns when fed on highly concen- 
trated feeding stuffs like com, when properly sup- 
plemented with feeding stuffs rich in protein and 
mineral matter. 



CHAPTER V 

Hogging Down Corn 

The labor problem is an important one on every 
farm. Any method of farming which will less<^n the 
amount of labor required and at the same time in- 
sure economical results, must commend itself to the 
busy man. One of the most economical and useful 
labor saving devices in the harvesting of the corn 



44 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

crop is the hog. The practice of ^'hogging down'' 
corn is not a new idea. It was practiced by many 
successful men twenty-five and thirty years ago. 
It lost favor for a while because some people ridi- 
culed the practice as being wasteful. It was then 
considered shiftless and something which represent- 
ed the lazy man and not the successful, up-to-date 
farmer. 

Things have changed in recent years. Every la- 
bor-saving machine within the reach of the average 
man is now used. Experiment stations have tested 
the efficiency of the hog as a means of harvesting the 
corn crop. The results of these tests have not shown 
that ''hogging down'' corn is wasteful and a part 
of shiftless farming operations. Quite the opposite 
is true. Experiments at both the Iowa and Minne- 
sota Experiment Stations have clearly proven the 
hog to be the most economical corn harvester yet 
invented. It has been found that the hog will husk 
the corn and distribute the manure on the ground 
and in addition return as large, and oftentimes a 
larger number of pounds of pork per bushel of corn, 
than where man husks the corn and feeds it to the 
hog. Thus there is an immediate saving of from 
5 to 8 cents per bushel to say nothing of having the 
manure evenly distributed on the land. Station 
tests and reports from farmers in different sections 
of the country show returns from $30.00 to $65.00 
per acre of corn when hogs sell for $6.00 per cwt. 
The man who once adopts this method of harvesting 
the corn crop nearly always makes it an annual prac- 
tice on his farm. 

KINDS OF CORN AND SUPPLEMENTS TO USE 

While the pigs make heavier daily gains and, as 
a rule, larger net returns per acre when fed just the 
corn alone as compared with dry lot feeding, still 



HOGGING DOWN CORN 45 

the best results are always obtained when some addi- 
tional feed, rich in protein and ash matter, is added 
to the ration. In many instances the net returns per 
acre have been increased from 25 to 30 per cent by 
the addition of a small allowance of meat meal. Var- 
ious kinds of forage crops have also been used to 
good advantage. 

The variety of corn to use depends very largely 
upon the locality. It must yield a good crop and 
mature in good season. In some instances a small 
amount of sweet corn is grown for early feeding. 
This is a good thing to do where soiling crops or oth- 
er summer forage is lacking. Where either a clover or 
an alfalfa patch adjoins the corn field, the hogs 
should be allowed the run of the same in addition to 
the corn lot. The clover and alfalfa both furnish pro- 
tein and ash matter to balance up the corn ration. 
Pigs handled in this way always make rapid and 
economical gains. 

Rape sown between the corn rows at the time of 
the last cultivation, has in many instances proven an 
excellent crop in connection with the corn. In some 
instances as high as 800 to 900 pounds of pork per 
acre have been secured from fields handled in this 
way. About four pounds of rape seed per acre should 
be sown. If the weather is real dry tiie stand will 
be light, but with favorable weather conditions very 
heavy yields have been secured. 

Soy beans have been grown in the corn fields at 
the Iowa Station, with fairly good success for ^ ' hog- 
ging down'* purposes. They should be drilled in 
the corn rows at the time of planting. The best re- 
sults have been secured where one-half bushel per 
acre of the beans were sown. These beans are very 
rich in protein, thus furnish a sufficient amount of 
the same to balance the corn ration. 



46 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

Rye sown at the time of the last cultivation furn- 
ishes an excellent supplement where no clover or 
alfalfa pastures are convenient. The best results 
ever obtained at the Iowa Station were where rye 
was sown and the hogs were fed from one-third to 
one-half pound per day each of meat meal in addi- 
tion to the corn and rye. With pork at 6 cents per 
pounds these hogs returned 87 cents per bushel for 
the corn after deducting the cost of the rye and the 
meat meal at $50.00 per ton. Ground handled in this 
way may be seeded to clover and timothy the follow- 
ing spring with but little labor. After the rye crop 
is harvested such ground furnishes good fall pasture. 

Except where soy beans, or some other forage 
crops rich in protein and ash matter are grown, some 
form of protein supplemental feed should be fed. 
This point has been very clearly proven by the Iowa 
Station. Hogs fed from one-third to one-half pound 
per head per day of meat meal or tankage make 
very much heavier daily gains and very much more 
economical gains than those fed on corn alone. The 
meat meal or tankage may be fed in the form of a 
thin slop in the water troughs. Pigs weighing 68 
pounds each at the beginning, fed for 58 days on 
meat meal and what corn they ''hogged down" have 
made average daily gains of 1.3 pounds at a cost of 
3.5 cents per pound, where corn was worth 50 cents 
per bushel and meat meal cost $50.00 per ton. This 
method insures both rapid and economical gains. 

SIZE OF HOGS TO USE 

It is impossible to have pigs of a certain definite 
size at the time the corn is ready for "hogging 
down. ' ' All experiments indicate that pigs ranging 
from 70 to 150 pounds in weight do well in this 
work. In other words the spring pig crop are just 
the kind to use in utilizing the corn crop during- the 



HOGGING DOWN CORN 47 

months of September and October. Those that have 
been grown on pasture or other forage crops, having 
a good development of bone and muscular frame 
work are just right for "hogging down" purposes. 
Fat hogs should not be used. Hogs intended for cat- 
tle feeding lots should not be used in this connection 
as they nearly always suffer a backset when put in- 
to the cattle feed lots, unless they are fed consider- 
able additional feed. The "hogging down" period 
causes the hogs to become fat, thus they should be 
forced along and marketed as soon as possible to pre- 
vent any backsets. Gilts, or sows intended for breed- 
ing purposes, should not be used in the "hogging 
down" work because they will become too fat for 
best results in the breeding herd. 

r)ld brood sows, mtended for market, that are 
thin in flesh fatten up very quickly when turned into 
a corn field. If many of these are to be made ready 
for market an acre or two of sweet corn should be 
planted as it will furnish good feed from the middle 
of August until the regular corn crop is ready. 
When handled in this way they may be made fat and 
ready for market much earlier than would be possi- 
ble where the common method of feeding is followed. 

TIME TO TURN HOGS IN CORN FIELD 

Some men recommend the turning of the hogs in 
the corn field at any time. Where this is done be- 
fore the corn is fairly well dented or glazed there is 
never so much feed as where it is delayed until the 
corn is fairly well matured. In central Iowa the corn 
crop is geiierally far enough along about the middle 
of September. In southern Iowa about ten days ear- 
lier would perhaps give the best results. While im- 
mature corn does not hurt the hogs, still the best 
results are obtained when the corn is well dented or 
glazed. If the weather conditions are very wet and 



48 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

the fields muddy it would be better to delay tho turn- 
ing of the hogs in for ten days or two weeks or a suf- 
ficient length of time to dry the ground. In muddy 
weather the hogs should not be given a large area 
of the corn field and should be provided with a grass 
lot. 

WATERING THE HOGS 

Water is indispensible for hogs. There should 
always be plenty of pure water supplied. All ex- 
periments clearly indicate that hogs make their 
heaviest and most economical gains when they drink 
large quantities of water. Have abundant trough 
room and keep them filled at all times. Hogs on a 
corn field, especially during warm weather, drink 
large quantities of water, thus it should never be 
denied them. 

SIZE OF FIELD 

The size of the field will depend upon several 
things: the number of hogs, the kind of weather (dry 
weather large areas and during wet, muddy weather 
smaller fields), the character of the soil, as on a 
sandy soil there is always less waste during wet 
weather than in the case of a black sticky soil. 
When given ample time, it is seldom that hogs ever 
waste any corn. At the Iowa Station the hogs have 
generally been turned into the corn lots about Sep- 
tember 15th and left there until the latter part of 
October and in some instances the 10th or 12th of 
November. 

The following table figured out by the Minnesota 
Experiment Station will be found helpful in figuring 
the number of hogs an acre of corn will carry when 
the yields range from 30 to 70 bushels per acre. 



HOGGING DOWN CORN 



49 



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50 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

CHAPTER VI 

Fattening Hogs in the Dry Lot 

In all farming operations a considerable number 
of hogs must of necessity be fattened in dry lots. 
This is true of those hogs finished during the late 
fall, winter and early spring months. It has also 
been clearly demonstrated that hogs weighing 150 
pounds and upwards make more rapid gains and 
more economical gains when finished in dry lots 
than when fed corn in conjunction with pasture or 
soiling crops. This is no doubt due to the fact that 
the hog's stomach is too small to utilize large qjian- 
tities of green forage crops and in addition a suf- 
ficient amount of grain to produce real heavy gains. 
While forage crops are good for young and growing 
pigs or breeding swine, they do not give the best 
results when heavier hogs are being forced for 
market. 

In fattening hogs for market, rapid gains are 
always desirable. The shorter the feeding period, 
the less the risk from disease. The heavier the daily 
gains the more economical they are as a rule. Thus 
we can readily see the importance of adopting those 
methods which will give the quickest returns. The 
man who feeds his hogs in such a way as to produce 
rapid daily gains generally makes the most money 
out of his hog business. Hogs weighing in the neigh- 
borhood of 200 lbs. should make an average daily 
gain of 2 lbs. per head per day. In hog feeding 
work at the Iowa Station, hogs weighing around 200 
lbs. each at the beginning of an experiment con- 
ducted during the latter part of April and the month 
of May in dry lot feeding made .average daily gains 
ranging from 2.23 lbs. to 2.57 lbs. each for a period of 
49 days. These hogs were in fair flesh at the start. 



FATTENING HOGS IN DRY LOT 51 

They were good thrifty animals, however. When on 
full feed they ate about 10 Ihs. of grain per head 
per day. 

There are three things necessary for heavy gains 
in hog feeding: 1st, a good healthy vigorous hog; 
2nd, a grain ration which is palatable so that the 
hogs will eat large quantities of it; 3rd, a grain ra- 
tion which contains a sufficient amount of protein 
and ash matter to insure best results. 

While corn should always constitute a large part 
of every hog ration, especially for fattening hogs, in 
the corn belt states, still it should not be fed alone. 
It is a very good fattening ration but is lacking in 
both protein and ash matter. Protein is absolutely 
necessary in the ration if heavy gains are to be 
secured. Feeding stuffs rich in protein seem to exert 
also a favorable influence on the digestive system. 
In experimnts covering a period of some ten years 
at the Iowa Station in which over 1000 head of hogs 
were fed on various rations of corn alone and corn 
m combination with other feeding stuffs, some in- 
teresting and useful results were obtained. It was 
found that hogs weighing from 150 to 200 lbs. each, 
fed on corn 9 parts and either meat meal or tankage 
1 part made from 15 to 40 per cent heavier daily 
gams and from 10 to 30 per cent cheaper gains, than 
hogs of similar weights and breeding fed on corn 
alone. These results clearly prove the necessitv for 
turnishmg some form of protein supplement to the 
corn ration. Hogs thus fed had better appetites, 
sleeker coats, and showed much better general health 
than those fed on corn alone. There are many dif- 
ferent ways of balancing up the corn ration.' The 
packing house by-products such as meat meal, tank- 
age and beef scraps, have given real good results in 
this connection. Skim milk and butter milk are both 
useful as are oil meal, gluten feed, wheat shorts 



52 



PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 







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FATTENING HOGS IN DRY LOT 53 

peas and soy beans. Any feed, which is rich in pro- 
tein and reasonable in price may be used to balance 
the corn ration. Meat meal and tankage have furn- 
ished the cheapest sources of protein available in re- 
cent years. 

In dry lot feeding the ration must be prepared 
to suit the needs of the animal. Young pigs weigh- 
ing from 50 to 75 lbs. require more protein and ash 
matter than do older and heavier animals. The fol- 
lowing rations have been worked out to meet the 
needs of the various ages and weights of swine. 
Com is used as the basis of the ration and other feed- 
ing stuffs are added in proper amounts to give good 
results. 

Pigs From 50 to 75 Pounds 

1. Ear corn 7 parts and meat meal or tankage 1 
part. Feed meat meal or tankage in the drinking 
water. Pigs of this size should eat from 2.5 to 5 lbs. 
each per day. 

2. Ear corn 2 parts, and a mixture composed of 
equal parts ground barley and wheat shorts, 3 parts. 
Feed ground feed in form of a slop. 

3. Ear corn 1 part and skim milk or butter milk 
3 parts. 

4. Ear corn 7 parts, wheat shorts 3 parts and 
oil meal 1 part. Feed wheat shorts and oil meal in 
form of a rather thin slop. 

5. Ear corn 2 parts, wheat shorts or gluten feed 
1 part and skim milk 3 parts. 

6. Ground barley 1 part and skim milk or but- 
ter milk 3 parts. Feed in form of a slop. 

Hogs 100 to 150 Pounds 

1. Ear corn 8 parts and meat meal or tankage 1 
part. Feed meat meal or tankage in form of slop 
in drinking water. 



54 PROFTTABLB PORK PRODUCTION 

2. Ear corn 4 parts, ground barley 3 parts and 
meat meal or tankage 1 part. Feed barley and meat 
meal or tankage in form of a slop. 

3. Ear corn 2 parts and skim milk or butter milk 
5 parts. 

4. Ear corn 5 parts, wheat shorts 3 parts and oil 
meal 1 part. Feed wheat shorts and oil meal in the 
form of a slop. 

Hogs 175 Pounds and Upwards 

1. Soaked shelled corn or soaked corn meal 9 
parts and meat meal or tankage 1 part. If soaked 
shelled corn is used feed meat meal or tankage in 
the drinking water; if soaked corn meal is fed mix 
the meat meal or tankage with it and feed in the form 
of a thick slop. 

2. Soaked shelled corn or soaked corn meal 5 
parts, ground barley 4 parts and meat meal or tank- 
age 1 part. Feed as in case of ration No. 1. While 
skim milk or butter milk are both useful in the case 
of any kind of swine, they are more beneficial for 
young light weight animals than in the case of the 
heavier hogs. The best and cheapest gains are 
usually made on heavy hogs where the ration is very 
largely corn. A small amount of either meat meal 
or tankage is helpful and will tend to produce con- 
siderably heavier daily gains. 

Where ear corn is fed, the yards should be kept 
clean. Feeding floors are very useful in this con- 
nection. Good comfortable sleeping quarters should 
always be provided. Hogs never thrive and fatten 
well when confined in cold, damp sleeping quarters. 
It is the man who gives attention to all the little de- 
tails who wins out in the hoo' business. 



FATTENING HOGS IN DRY LOT 55 

FATTENING HOGS BEHIND CATTLE 

On all cattle feeding farms a considerable num- 
ber of hogs are fattened each year in the cattle feed 
lots. These hogs are used to utilize the corn which 
passes through the cattle in an undigested form. 
When the cattle are fed heavily on shelled corn or 
ear corn, the hog gains sometimes rangs range from 
10 to 15 cents per bushel for each bushel of corn fed 
to the steers. Light weight hogs, from 75 to 125 lbs. 
each, give the best results behind cattle. Some suc- 
cessful cattle feeders do not allow their hogs addi- 
tional feed other than that picked up from the drop- 
pings of the cattle in the feed lot. Where plenty of 
hogs are used, it pays to feed extra feed. In this 
connection both the Iowa and Ohio Stations have 
found that the feeding of from one-third to one-half 
lb. of meat meal or tankage per hog per day in- 
creased the daily gains on the hogs from 50 to 80 
per cent over the gains made on the hogs in the other 
lots not fed in this way. Hogs following cattle fed 
on oil meal, clover hay or alfalfa hay always make 
more rapid gains than hogs following steers fed on 
corn and either timothy or mixed hay. When hogs 
reach 200 or 250 pounds they should be taken out of 
the cattle lots and finished for market. 

In all hog feeding operations too much attention 
cannot be given to the details. Plenty of pure drink- 
ing water should always be supplied. The more 
water hogs drink during the fall and winter months 
the heavier the daily gains. Plenty of dry bedding 
should always be furnished. The feeding should be 
done twice a day and just what they will eat up 
clean in from half to three-quarters of an hour should 
be fed. 



56 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

CHAPTEE VII 

Treatment for Worms, Lice and 
Prevention of Disease 

Success in pork production depends largely upon 
the health of the herd, which should be maintained 
by preventative rather than by curative methods. 
This requires the most rigid adherence to sanitary 
conditions of pens, yards and general surroundings. 
Filthy yards and pens, poorly drained feeding lots 
and dusty, dark sleeping quarters should be avoided. 
Most hog diseases start from little neglects or causes. 
The careful hog man readily detects the presence of 
lice, worms or disease outbreaks in his hogs. When 
taken early all of these troubles can be handled with 
but little loss to the owner. It is the careless man 
who lets such troubles eat up hog profits. 

PARASITES 

It can be truthfully said that parasites such as 
lice, mange and the various kinds of worms which 
live in the digestive tract, cause the farmers of the 
corn belt states a greater annual loss than does all 
forms of hog diseases combined. This is because 
these parasites are more or less present in all herds 
of swine. In the great majority of instances the 
farmer does not know of their presence and wonders 
why his pigs do not respond more readily to the 
food supplied. These parasites are indirectly con- 
suming the corn and other grain fed the hogs. They 
simply sap the life out of the hog. No hog can do 
well unless it is free from all forms of parasites. If 
your hogs are not doing well, look up the reason. It 
may be lice. It may be intestinal worms or some 
other trouble. Be sure and locate the trouble, then 
set about to get rid of the same. 



TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LICE 57 

Lice. Lice are a very common source of loss to 
the hog business. While they are more or less 
troublesome to all ages and sizes of swine, they are 
most harmful and injurious to young pigs. Lice, 
when present, may be found on almost any part of 
the pig but are most commonly found around the 
ears, in the folds of the skin about the jowl, sides and 
flanks, and especially on the inside of the fore legs in 
the arm pits. It is not difficult to see the lice if a 
careful examination is made. 

There are several different remedies and methods 
of applying them for the treatment of lice in swine. 
"When a herd is once infested it takes time to thor- 
oughly free it from lice. The lice multiply very rap- 
idly, thus no time should be lost in applying some 
reliable form of treatment. Many people use the 
stock dips, which belong to the list of coal tar disin- 
fectants, for this purpose. When used at least a 2 
per cent solution should be applied. It may be used 
in the dipping tank or it may be sprayed on the 
hogs. The best and most effective cure for lice, used 
at the Iowa Experiment Station, is crude oil. One 
application of crude oil usually does the business. 
It kills the nits as well as the lice. It may be applied 
with a brush or with a spray. The best way to use 
crude oil, when you have a dipping tank, is .to fill 
the tank about two-thirds full of water, then put in 
a layer of some three or four inches of crude oil. 
The oil being lighter than the water will float on 
top. Then put the pigs through the tank in the 
usual way. This will always do the business and but 
little labor is expended in the operation. 

Mange. Mange and other skin troubles are usual- 
ly caused by some form of parasite. Hogs are not 
very often troubled with mange or other skin dis- 
eases. When an outbreak does occur, it should re- 
ceive immediate attention. Use a 2 per cent solution 



58 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

of some good standard dip in a warm water solution. 
Dip the animals twice, allowing about five days be- 
tween the dippings and the trouble will generally 
disappear. 

Worms. Worms are a very common source of 
trouble in the hog business. This is especially true 
during the fall and winter months when more or 
less constipating feeds are used. There are several 
forms of worms such as the lung worm, the common 
round worm, the thorn headed worm, whip and pin 
worms and the kidney worm. Of the various forms, 
the common round worm is the most common and 
also the most troublesome, unless it be the thorn 
headed worm. 

The general health and vigor of the hog has 
much to do with its ability to ward off worm troubles 
and the various forms of disease. Age is also a fac- 
tor as the greatest losses are always found in the 
younger animals. The sanitariy conditions of the 
buildings, yards and pastures, are very important 
in this connection. If the conditions are such as to 
enable the eggs or larvae to live for a long time, 
these troubles are always numerous. Wet years, 
muddy yards, undrained pastures and pounds are 
favorable for the development of all forms of par- 
asitic troubles. Where permanent hog lots are 
used, espeically if the drinking troughs are dirty, 
the feeding floors filthy or where the yards have not 
been cleaned each year, heavy losses from parasitic 
troubles may be expected. 

The Round Worm. The most common of the in- 
testinal parasites is the round worm. It is usually 
found in the small intestine, is from six to ten inches 
long, tapering toward the ends and is yellowish 
white in color. If they are present in large numbers 
they irritate the intestine and set up an inflamma- 



TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LICE 59 

tion. The symptoms are much the same as chronic 
indigestion. 

Thorn Headed Worm. The worm is so named 
because of the thorn headed appearance of the same. 
It attaches itself to the walls of the intestines by- 
means of this thorn head. This starts an irritation 
and if present in considerable numbers the hogs soon 
show an unthrifty appearance. This worm is white 
or bluish white in color. The females range from 5 
to 20 inches in length while the males are from 3 
to 5 inches long. 

The same form of treatment answers for all 
kinds of intestinal worms. The pigs should always 
be starved for a day or so before giving any form 
of worm medicine. The following worm remedy- has 
been used successfully at the Iowa Experiment- 
Station. 

FORMULA FOR HOGS INFECTED 
WITH WORMS 

Santonin 2% grains. 
Areca nut 1 dram (may be omitted). 
Calomel M^ grain. 
Sodium Bicarbonate % dram. 

The above amounts constitute a dose for a 100 
lb. pig. For larger or smaller pigs use proportionate 
amounts. All feed should be withheld for at least 
18 hours before giving the above mixture. Ground 
feed slightly moistened should be placed in the 
troughs and the mixture sprinkled over the same. 
It may also be fed in the form of a slop. Repeal the 
dose in sight or ten days to make sure all worms 
are expelled. 



60 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

FORMULA TO BE USED AS A PREVENTA- 
TIVE OF WORMS 

Glauber Salts, 3 parts. 

Salsoda, 3 parts. 

Copperas, 3 parts. 

Common salt, 1 part. 

Sulphur, 1 part. 

This is to be kept before the hogs at all times but 
must be kept under cover to prevent waste. 

Sulphate of iron (copperas) is also a very good 
remedy. This should be ground into a fine powder. 
For a 100 pound pig, use 1 dram, and 2 drams for a 
300 pound hog. The sulphate of iron should be dis- 
solved in warm water and mixed with a slop. It 
should be fed every morning for a week or in real 
bad cases every other morning for two weeks. It is 
always best to keep the pigs or hogs in dry lots 
while treating for worms so that when the treatment 
is over the litter containing the segments of the 
worms and the eggs may be gathered up and burned 
to prevent further infection. 

MINOR DISEASES AND TROUBLES 

There are several diseases and troubles, common 
to swine, which are not as a rule fatal. These lesser 
troubles will be considered in this connection. 

Canker or Sore Mouth. This trouble is common 
in young pigs. It is caused by a germ which is 
found everywhere, especially in manure piles and 
filthy pens or sleeping quarters. If taken in time it 
is not hard to control, but if the disease is well ad- 
vanced the ulcers or sore places should be scraped 
before applying treatment. Treat the pig by thrust- 
ing its head into a 2 per cent solution of some good 
standard dip or wash out the mouth with a solution 
made by using a teaspoonful of permanganate of 
potash in a gallon of warm water. The pigs should 



TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LICE 01 

be treated every day until the parts are thoroughly 
healed. Keep the pigs in a clean place free from 
dust and disinfect the udder of the sow each day 
with the same preparation used on the pigs. 

Thumps. This trouble affects young pigs from 
two to eight weeks old. The symptoms are difficulty 
in breathing and the flanks have a jumping or beat- 
ing action. This is caused by an accumulation of 
fat about the heart and lungs, which interferes with 
the action of these organs. It oftentimes proves 
fatal. The only thing to do is to use preventative 
measures. Give the little fellows plenty of exercise 
and cut down the rations. This trouble usually at- 
tacks early spring pigs which are liberally nourished 
and confined to very small quarters. 

Sun Scald. This trouble usually affects thin 
haired pigs that are allowed to run in any rank wet 
growth of green fodder such as rape and sometimes 
clover and alfalfa, and then exposed to the hot sun. 
The skin cracks and sore places appear about the 
ears and on the sides. Remove the cause and treat 
the affected hogs with a mixture composed of one 
ounce of lard and two ounces of flowers of sulphur. 

Cougfhs. Coughs in pigs usually indicate either 
dusty sleeping quarters or else worm troubles. J£ 
the pens are dirty and dusty, clean the same or put 
the pigs in a clean pasture lot. If worms are the 
cause, use the worm remedy recommended. 

Black Teeth. Pigs at birth generally have little 
tushes or teeth that stick out on both sides of the 
upper and lower jaw, four in number. These teeth 
are usually yellow or brown in color and very sharp 
pointed. These teeth often cause much trouble, due 
to the little fellows fighting each other or in cutting 
the mother's teats. Examine the little fellows soon 
after bii-th and use a pair of small pliers to break 
the teeth. 



62 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

Sore Tails. When little pigs are kept in damp 
quarters or if they are troubled with scours, this 
sets up inflammation and oftentimes results in the 
loss of the tail. If the trouble appears, use boric 
acid to cleanse the sores and keep the little fellows 
in well lighted, dry sleeping quarters. 

Paralysis. This trouble appears in the hind quar- 
ters, especially in sows that are weakened from nurs- 
ing large litters. If the pigs are still nursing, wean 
them at once. Give the sow from 3 to 6 ounces of 
Epsom Salts in a thin slop. Feed lightly on a ration 
of a highly nitrogenous nature. Paralysis is some- 
times caused by injury to the spinal cord. It is 
sometimes due to improper feeding. In all cases feed 
light rations of a nitrogenous nature, keep the diges- 
tive organs in good condition, keep the animals quiet 
and away from the rest of the herd. Animals thus 
affected require several weeks to fully recover. 

HAZARDOUS DISEASES 

There are several diseases, more or less common 
to swine, which are very destructive and difficult to 
combat. In all such cases too much attention can- 
not be given to preventative measures. When dis- 
ease once affects a hog it is very difficult to do much 
in the way of curative treatment. 

Tuberculosis. This trouble is quite common in 
many sections of the country. It seems to be most 
prevalent in dairy sections where the skim milk is 
fed to the hogs. It has been clearly proven at the 
Iowa Experiment Station that this disease can be 
readily transmitted to swine through the feeding 
of infected milk. 

It has also been demonstrated that hogs follow- 
ing cattle, which are infected with tuberculosis, 
readily contract the disease. This being true, hogs 
should not be fed skim milk, butter milk or whey 



TREATMENT FOR WORMS AND LIOE 63 

wMch has not been thoroughly pasteurized. Neither 
should hogs be allowed to eat the droppings of cat- 
tle which are known to have tuberculosis. 

Hog Cholera. Hog cholera or swine plague is a 
serious menace to the hog business. This disease is 
highly destructive and very contagious in its nature. 
It is easily transmitted from one hog to another, it 
may be carried by man, dogs, birds or by an over- 
flowing stream. Every precaution should be taken 
to avoid having hog pastures near overflowing 
streams. When new hogs are shipped in they should 
be quarantined for four weeks to insure the safety 
of the herd. Too much attention cannot be given to 
these things. In case cholera breaks out in your 
herd be sure and burn up all of the carcasses of the 
dead hogs. If every farmer would do this the loss 
from cholera would be very materially lessened. 

Symptoms. The early signs of hog cholera are 
fever, shivering, unwillingnuess to move around, loss 
of appetite. The animals appear laggy, hide in the 
bedding and act stupid. At the beginning the bowels 
may be normal or constipated but later on there is 
a liquid and fetid diarrhoea. The eyes at first appear 
congested and watery but the secretions soon thick- 
en, become yellowish in color and oftentimes smears 
the eye lids together. The breathing becomes rapid 
and a cough is usually noticeable, especially when 
the animals are driven from their beds. The skin is 
often congested and varies from a pinkish red to 
purple in color. There are other external symptoms 
but those given are most commonly seen. When cut 
open red spots caused by hemorrhages are often 
found. The spleen is abnormal in size, soft and full 
of blood. The contents of the intestines are often- 
times covered with blood. When these symptoms 
are present in your hogs, lose no time in securing a 
competent veterinarian to treat the herd. 



64 PROFITABLE PORK PRODUCTION 

Treatment. Withhold most of the feed. Use 
light slops. Keep the digestive organs in good 
shape. Divide the hogs into several lots. Have 
them innoculated at once with good reliable hog 
cholera serum. This can usually be secured through 
the state veterinarian. Good serum is almost a sure 
preventative for this most dreaded of all diseases. 
Keep the pens and yards thoroughly disinfected 
through the use of standard dips. 

DRENCHING HOGS 

The following method recommended in Dawson's 
Hog Book is especially good. "To drench mature 
hogs, a rope with a ring in the end is secured around 
the hog's upper jaw, and the other end is hitched to 
a post at such a height as to elevate the hog's head. 
A 2-inch round stick from two to three feet long is 
held cross-wise in its mouth between the grinder 
teeth. Drenching can be done with perfect safety 
with a long-necked bottle. Care should be taken not 
to force the dose down too fast, else the hog may be 
strangled, especially if the hog is struggling or 
squealing. If the hog refuses to swallow, the throat 
should be gently kneaded. In drenching pigs they 
should be held by front legs in a sitting position be- 
tween the holder's knees, with their backs to him, 
while another man operates the drenching bottle, 
keeping their mouths open with a stick meanwhile. ' ' 

Too much attention cannot be given to the little 
things in the hog business. Little troubles are usual- 
ly the sources of large losses. Keep the pens clean, 
well bedded and have plenty of light. Rake the 
yards and burn up all refuse after an attack of 
worms or a disease outbreak. Use plenty of disin- 
fectants at all times. Whitewash your hog pens. 
Feed a well balanced ration and supply plenty of 
pure drinking water. These are all important fac- 
tors in profitable pork production. 



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